Americas
NYC Pizza icon Patsy Grimaldi dies at 93
The pizza world is mourning Patsy Grimaldi, founder of Juliana’s Pizza, who passed away at the age of 93. Juliana’s closed for a day in his honor, and will keep his table empty as a tribute. According to the restaurant’s Instagram, Grimaldi revolutionized the city’s pizza scene when he opened his eponymous pizza emporium in 1990, making it ‘cool’ to come to Brooklyn. After selling it in 1998, he returned in 2012 to launch Juliana’s, sparking a famed rivalry, although today the two eateries are still going strong and in friendly competition. “The good news is that he is now at peace and finally reunited with his late wife (and our other co-founder) Carol, who he missed so much,” Juliana’s wrote.
Customers divided over AI-powered drive-thru ordering at Wendy’s
Wendy’s is rolling out AI-powered voice ordering at up to 600 locations following a successful pilot program. CEO Kirk Tanner says the “FreshAI” system will improve efficiency and streamline operations. However, customer reactions have been mixed. While some are complaining about AI misinterpreting orders and cost-cutting without price reductions, others have been forced to admit that AI drive-thrus are “better than with real people.” McDonald’s abandoned a similar AI experiment in 2024 after “chaotic” results, raising questions about whether AI drive-thrus will enhance convenience or frustrate customers even more. The debate rages on.
Asia Pacific
Beijing extends antitrust scrutiny of Meituan as JD.com enters food delivery
Chinese regulators have extended Meituan’s antitrust rectification period beyond its expected October 2024 end, saying this was due to continued monopolistic practices, according to Nikkei Asia. They did not give a clear time frame for when the regulatory scrutiny would end. This situation has left the food delivery giant facing uncertainty as competition intensifies from e-commerce player JD.com, which has made a surprise move to break into the food delivery business. The company is attracting restaurants with zero commissions for a year and plans to offer social insurance for couriers, prompting Meituan to follow suit.
Dentsu’s AI to boost tuna exports in Indonesia
Dentsu is launching a demonstration project in Indonesia using its AI-powered tuna quality assessment tool, TUNA SCOPE, to optimize export prices and increase added value. The initiative aims to tackle tuna quality control challenges in Indonesia, which is one of the world’s top tuna-producing nations. By introducing TUNA SCOPE, the company hopes to establish accurate AI-driven inspections and reliable quality standards, ensuring fair pricing for both buyers and sellers.
Europe, the Middle East and Africa
Manchester United scraps free staff lunches in cost-cutting move
Sir Jim Ratcliffe is shutting down the staff canteen at Old Trafford and replacing free lunches with fruit, the Guardian has reported. A similar change is planned at Manchester United’s Carrington training base, where only players will receive free lunches, while the rest of the staff will be offered soup and bread. The move is part of Ratcliffe’s cost-cutting strategy as he looks to streamline operations and restore Manchester United’s competitive edge. The Old Trafford canteen is set to close by the end of the week.
70% of hospitality operators to cut jobs due to tax rises
Over two-thirds of hospitality businesses plan to reduce staff due to tax hikes in April, a new survey has revealed. Of 8,300 sites surveyed, 70% will cut jobs, 29% will reduce trading hours, and 15% may have to close at least one site. Hospitality trade bodies have warned that there would be a “significant” impact on jobs, communities and supply chains if the tax rises went ahead as planned and are calling on the government to delay changes to avoid an immediate impact. Major operators like Young’s and Malmaison have already said the change would result in millions in extra costs, with some cancelling expansion plans.
Elly Earls
